Mayhem: Goddesses Of Delphi Read online

  “We don’t go by car.” Ken offered a smirk then pulled on his ear. “Brace yourself. The first trip is always a bit of a wild ride.”

  “What?” Worry started roiling in his gut and Thomas spun to face Nia, who’d moved to Ken’s side. Pressure built in his ears and around his chest, as if the air had condensed. He swallowed hard to get his ears to pop.

  “It helps if you pinch your nose closed and force air into your sinuses,” Ken offered as the pressure escalated.

  Nia laid her hand on one of his arms and Ken took the other. The world around him misted and faded into nothingness. Before his eyes, Nia vanished into the mist, leaving a flare of robin’s egg blue color in its wake. Pinpricks of silvery light, resembling stars, pierced the space where her torso should have been. In the center, a blob of pale orange pulsed like a heartbeat. What the hell was happening?

  Thomas’s head felt as if it was floating when he turned toward where Ken had been standing. In his place was another splotch of color, this time cobalt blue with a pulse of yellow beating in the center. Alarmed, he peeked down at his body, shocked to see it had turned to silver. At least he retained his human form.

  Thomas’s heart galloped, his lungs not rising or falling with each breath he struggled to take. The air tightened around his body and he jerked at a loud popping noise in the area surrounding his head. Still shrouded in mist, Nia and Ken’s bodies returned to normal.

  Glancing down, Thomas realized he floated a good two feet over a worn carpet bathed in lamplight. What happened to the grass? To the moonlight and maple tree in Nia’s front yard?

  Thomas flailed his arms away from Nia’s grasp and wobbled as the trio eased to the ground. The moment they lost their grip on him, he dropped like a stone the last six inches. His teeth clacked together painfully.

  Nia leaped forward to steady him. “I’m sorry for the abruptness of the transport. Are you alright?” She smoothed her fingers over his cheek.

  Her eyes were cold, but her gentle touch slowed his frantic heartbeat. “Don’t know. That was weird.” He laid his hand over hers, savoring the contact and holding her close.

  The chilly temperature of her gaze warmed, and her smile was rueful. “If you think that was weird, hold onto your hat. You’re about to meet my dad.” She grasped his elbow and urged him around.

  Yeah, not in Nia’s yard anymore. The grass and trees had been replaced by a comfortable sitting room. Portraits of frolicking gods and goddesses adorned the walls. The gleaming hardwood floor was partially obscured by a thick carpet of muted colors.

  Directly across from Thomas, a man in black T-shirt and jeans relaxed against the cushions of an antique, horsehair sofa. The bluest eyes Thomas had ever seen softened the secret-agent-man look. Ruddy red colored his cheeks, curly ebony hair was tinged with strands of silver. The overall effect was menacing, approachable, and powerful at the same time. Despite the color in his cheeks, his skin held the pallor most commonly found in hospitals. Pinning Thomas with an assessing look, the man crossed one knee over the other and waited.

  The double doors on the other side of the room burst open. A statuesque woman crossed the threshold in a rush. She made a beeline for Nia, and smothered her in a hug, crooning soft, delicate words only Nia could hear. Shutting her eyes, Nia’s face transformed from cold and hard into the visage of a woman who knew she was loved. Thomas suffered a pang of emotion at the idea that he wanted to be the man who put that look on her face.

  The woman patted Nia’s back, and then nudged her away to turn toward him. “You must be Thomas Wilde. I’m Gaia, Nia’s mother.” Her voice tinkled like delicate wind chimes, and her green eyes danced as she regarded him.

  He shot a startled look to Nia before continuing. “Gaia, as in Mother Earth?” Accepting the hand she offered, Thomas felt instantly at ease. “Pleased to meet you.”

  Gaia beamed while Nia bit her lip. “That’s right. You do know your mythology. Allow me to introduce my consort.”

  Walking across the carpet felt like walking on a cloud, soft and light. Glancing over his shoulder Thomas discovered Nia had remained behind. Gaia’s hand on his arm was firm as she drew him across the room. “This is Zeus, Nia’s father.”

  He had to work to keep his jaw from dropping. Nia’s dad was named for the king of gods? Was the entire family delusional? Except…that tiny voice in his skull chided him to look beyond reason. Hell, he was in an entirely different setting than he had been two minutes ago. Zeus extended his hand, and Thomas took it, rubbing his fingers on his temple with the other. He needed to shut down that voice fast. He wasn’t going to get sucked into this lunacy.

  “Have a seat, son,” Zeus invited, patting the cushion next to him.

  Thomas sank onto the couch, crowding back into the corner. Nia’s posture looked agitated as she paced to the French doors on the far end of the room. She spun and marched back the opposite direction, fists clenched at her sides.

  Zeus cleared his throat, claiming Thomas’s attention. “I realize this is all hard to take in, but you must trust me, every word Nia spoke is the truth.”

  “It’s a little far-fetched.” Seemed like Thomas vied for the title King of the Understatement.

  Zeus’s laughter filled the room. “Life used to be much simpler. Mortals really believed in our existence. We were not far-fetched in the least in ancient times.”

  Gaia laughed with him, while Nia tossed him a glare and Ken smirked as he lounged against a sideboard.

  Zeus continued. “Son, we need your help.”

  Tossing his glance between the older man and Nia, Thomas waffled on his stance that the entire episode was a bad dream. “I can’t imagine what I can possibly do to save the world. I’m one man.”

  “But you’re the man with the key. Pierus’s hostile takeover of my corporation is a sure thing if you won’t at least consider the possibility. Mayhem will be unleashed if Nia fails. And she’ll be closely followed by the rest of the troubles we’ve held in check for centuries.” Zeus leaned forward and braced his elbows on his knees. The man’s intense blue stare bore into Thomas, bruising a path to his soul. “Nia’s life would be forfeit. And so might your Hailey’s”

  “What?” Cold dread gripped the base of Thomas’s neck.

  “For the love of the gods, Zeus. I hadn’t gotten to that part yet,” Nia yelled.

  “Brutal honesty is called for, daughter. Atlas informed me of his difficulty in rehanging the moon.”

  Thomas shot off the couch. “Are you threatening my niece?”

  “Thomas, no!” Nia exclaimed. “Pierus added an aspect to my challenge. I must persuade you to believe in magic, or not only is my life forfeit, but the life of an innocent hangs in the balance. I believe that innocent might be Hailey. But I don’t know. I only know I mustn’t fail.” Anguish filled her eyes, but Thomas refused to be swayed.

  Clenching his hands into fists, Thomas glowered at Nia, then swept the room with his gaze. “Attempting to drag me into your delusion is one thing. But no one better lay a finger on Hailey.” He took a menacing step toward Nia to show he meant business.

  Ken leaped in front of Nia, cutting Thomas’s approach off. Using his broad shoulders, he muscled Nia behind him.

  “Thomas, according to Pierus’s challenge, it seems Hailey is likely to be a great contributor in alleviating suffering in the poorest nations. We plan to consult Lachesis to find out exactly what her destiny is.” Ken crossed his arms over his massive chest.

  Ignoring the spark of jealousy generated by Ken’s protective behavior, Thomas growled. “Who the fuck is Lachesis?”

  “She’s the Fate who spins the length of a life,” Ken replied as he tightened his arms over his massive chest, popping biceps with enlarged veins running down them.

  He snorted. “Of course.” Jesus, these people were insane.

  Nia shoved Ken from her path and moved toward Thomas, her hand raised, palm out as though entreating him. “We aren’t threatening Hailey. We’re trying to pr
otect her.”

  Protect, his ass. The dread in the pit of his stomach reminded him of the day he found out his brother, Doug, had died at the hands of terrorists. This situation felt very similar.

  Thomas spread his feet wide and crossed his arms over his chest. She didn’t shy away from his combative stance, something he admired even as it pissed him off. The muscles in his jaw jerked with tension as he spat his words out. “You seemed so fucking normal.”

  “I’m not crazy, Thomas.” Her voice was barely a whisper but he heard defeat and defiance in it.

  Sweeping a disparaging gaze over the delicate features that masked her insanity, he nearly relented. Despite his anger at the moment, his cock hardened as he took in her curves and her long legs. His physical reaction to her body pointed to how he’d been deceived.

  “Was the sex part of your scheme to dupe me this way?”

  “No!” Nia jolted backward, clutching a fist to her breastbone. “Please don’t think that. I didn’t sleep with you because of the challenge. I slept with you because I’m falling for you.”

  “Right,” he scoffed.

  “Whether you believe or not, it doesn’t change the truth; I’m a Muse. I’ve existed for thousands of years.” She jammed her fists onto her hips. “Here are the facts. One, an ancient deity has challenged my sisters and I. Our lives depend on winning.” She lifted her hands and began ticking the fingers of one hand. “Two, the coronal burst on the sun knocked the moon out of orbit. With it out of place, the world is out of balance. Three—”

  “What are you talking about? The moon isn’t out of orbit.” Surely something would have been mentioned in the media.

  “Shut up and listen.” The command in her tone was undeniable. Something gripped his shoulders, subduing his words. He looked at Ken and found the son of a bitch scowling at him, his arm raised and fist clenched. Bastard had frozen him again. Goddammit, just another facet in this never-ending nightmare.

  Nia continued, “Three, to win the challenge I must lead a man, you, Thomas, back to believing in magic. There wasn’t anything in the rules about sleeping with said man, or falling in love with him.” She stepped back and propped fisted hands on her hips. She nodded to Ken.

  The grip on Thomas lessened and he stumbled forward. Nia professed to love him, but he couldn’t believe her. Not after so many outrageous statements. Not after the entire surreal experience of this horrible hallucination.

  But, God dammit. She professed her love and fuck it all, when he’d heard the words his heart jumped like it was on a freaking trampoline. When the hell had he fallen in love with her?

  Eyes filled with entreaty, Nia stood before him. Her voice rang in his head. Will you help us?

  Buying into her fantasy would only make matters worse. She’d continue to believe she was an ancient being. That her father was the Grand Poobah of all the gods who’d never existed. And it could endanger Hailey’s life. His niece was his priority. And would always remain so.

  Thomas shook his head. “No.” Sharp pain sliced a path through his heart as he uttered the single word. Why did it ache so much to deny her?

  Nia unfisted her hands and backed a step away from him. And another. Behind Thomas, Gaia gasped and a soft sob filled the air. From the corner of his eye, he noted Ken going to Zeus’s side to help him to his feet. The pair moved until they flanked Nia.

  She bit her lip and blinked her eyes hard. The single tear trickling from one corner twisted his gut in a wringer. Even though he was in the midst of an awful dream, the anguish in her face crushed him.

  He lifted his hand to her arm, but she slid another pace away, avoiding his touch. “Don’t.”

  “I’m sorry, but I can’t buy into this…this altered reality of yours.”

  Nia edged a step in his direction. “Again, this story is not made up. But, you must believe what you believe.” She twisted her head to look at Zeus over her shoulder. “Will you call Mnemosyne? He shouldn’t retain the memory of this night. Or of me.”

  Desolation rode up Thomas’s spine at the defeat in Nia’s tone. “What are you talking about? You can’t toy with my memories. They’re mine.”

  She faced him again, hope in her eyes fading. “You shouldn’t have to remember, because any memory you keep of what I’ve told you will only cause you remorse later on. Guilt can’t supplant your need to keep your wits about you. You’ll need them to face the dangers and new reality brought about because I’ve failed at this challenge. Mnemosyne will remove all memory of this night—the trip through the Hollow, the magpies…all of it. She’ll also wipe away recollection of the times we shared together.” Her voice hitched on her last words. Over her shoulder, she entreated Zeus. “Please make sure he doesn’t remember anything except the need to keep Hailey safe.”

  Zeus nodded, sorrow turning his gaze somber. “We will take care of it.”

  Another tear traced a slow path down Nia’s cheek. “Thank you. I’ll be back later to say good bye.”

  “Nia, no!” Gaia sobbed. “Do not give up. We will figure something out.”

  “I’m being reasonable, Mother. I suggest everyone else do the same. My fate, and yours,” she spared a teary glance at Thomas, “and the fate of all mortals is sealed.”

  “Daughter…”

  Nia held her hand up, stopping Zeus’s words. She took a step toward Thomas, and cupped a hand over his cheek. Her eyes darted over his face, as though memorizing the lines and curves of it.

  She spoke into his mind. I swear to you, every word is true. None truer than the words of love I uttered. Please get Hailey out of the city. Keep her safe. Nia squinted her eyes and he felt her thoughts burning a path to his subconscious. You will not remember me, or the rest of this night. But you will remember that Hailey’s life is in danger. You will take her somewhere safe. Somewhere Pierus cannot find her. Stay safe, my love.

  Rising on her toes, Nia pressed her lips to his. He grasped her shoulders and relished the soft satin of her caress, the first peace he’d felt since she’d found him in the front yard. The air around him tightened, thickened. Sky blue light filled his vision as mist grew in the room.

  Nia’s softly spoken I love you filled his brain as she disappeared from his arms.

  Chapter 19

  Nia escaped into the Hollow after her parting words, her last kiss with Thomas. Her starry aura dimmed by sorrow and pain, and blurred by gathering tears. Misery and bitterness were poor traveling companions.

  Thomas didn’t believe her. She’d failed her task and it was her fault—and no one else’s—the world was about to be plunged into a stark new existence.

  As she materialized in her living room, she didn’t bother to control her descent. Her feet slammed onto the floor in her living room—one on the lush area rug, the other on the hardwood. The physical pain jolted her hips, causing her to groan.

  The instant the mist cleared, she fell to her knees. Bending, she pressed her forehead to the ground. Her throat ached from holding back her sobs while in the void. She gave the anguish her voice. Harsh, wracking sobs claimed her body, shaking and shuddering her form as she cowered on the floor.

  When had she fallen in love with Thomas? His denial burned a tormented path through her soul. She’d been optimistic about her chances to save the world with his help. And when she won her challenge, Thomas and Hailey would have been a major factor in the rest of this lifetime. And possibly all of her future lifetimes.

  Now, that fantasy was nothing more than ashes on her heart.

  The clock ticked loudly from the mantel, marking her remaining moments with rhythmic severity, inexorably counting down the moments. It wouldn’t be long before her sisters, and Ken, and her parents reached out to her.

  Ken might be first, as he’d have to pick up Thomas’s car to return it to him. He’d probably take Thomas to his home first, and tuck him into the king-sized bed. The lovely, plush bed she’d shared with him. And tomorrow, Thomas would fix breakfast in his to-die-for kitchen. No memo
ries would plague him. Not of her sitting at his kitchen island. Not of her laughing conversation with Hailey. Not of the passionate embrace they’d snuck in when the adorable little urchin had left the room to get a book she thought Nia would enjoy. Sharp pain pierced Nia’s heart, widening the cracks already there into fissures with no hope of repair.

  Gasping to fill her lungs, Nia slammed the door on her memories. At least as she began her life as a magpie, she’d have her last memory of Thomas’s kiss to hold close to her new, avian breast.

  Not in the right frame of mind to deal with Ken or her parents, Nia roused from her agony and struggled to her feet. To keep any potential visitors at bay, she faced each of the four corners of her house, and sang a song of protection, barring admittance to any and all visitors. The words were rusty and she struggled to remember the correct order. But they’d keep unwelcome guests from intruding on her pity party. Disgust almost made her undo the spell. Hiding was not her style.

  She’d only used this unique ability once before. Eons ago when she’d miscalculated and Stonehenge ended up in the wrong spot. Then embarrassment had ridden her hard. She’d cost the world an extra day every four years to correct her mistake. She’d locked herself away from everyone for years then.

  Today the world faced a much more dire outcome. She ensured the destruction of mortal comfort. When Pierus rose to power there’d be no more love, nor joy, nor art. His would be a world of black and white. All humans would be forced to toil to bring riches to him and his evil offspring.

  After completing her incantations, she trudged to the kitchen to draw a glass of water. Standing on her tiptoes, she reached into the cabinet for a tumbler. Waiting for the water running into the sink to cool, she rubbed her fingers over the rippled glass. A tiny snicker tugged her lips up and she slammed the water off.

  In three steps she was at her refrigerator. Jerking the door open, a welcome, cool breeze wafted into her face. An open bottle of Chardonnay sat on the glass shelf, next to a jar of olives. She grasped the neck of the bottle and tugged. She met a tiny resistance, but pulled it free of the stickiness it sat in. The snicker morphed to a smile as she contemplated wiping off the shelf before pouring the wine. A snort escaped her throat as she decided with her world ending soon she didn’t need to clean another damn thing.